Gerard López
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| Gerard López | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gerard López Segú | |
| Date of birth | March 12, 1979 | |
| Place of birth | Granollers, Spain | |
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 111⁄2 in) | |
| Playing position | Midfielder | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Girona | |
| Number | 10 | |
| Youth career | ||
| 1993–1996 | Barcelona | |
| Senior career1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1996–1997 1997–2000 1998–1999 2000–2005 2005–2007 2007–2008 2009– |
Barcelona B Valencia → Alavés (loan) Barcelona Monaco Recreativo Girona |
32 (10) 45 (4) 29 (7) 91 (5) 13 (1) 18 (0) 5 (4) |
| National team2 | ||
| 1996–1998 1997 1998–2000 2000 |
Spain U18 Spain U20 Spain U21 Spain |
9 (5) 4 (0) 10 (5) 6 (2) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Gerard López Segú (born March 12, 1979 in Granollers, Barcelona, Catalonia) is a Spanish footballer currently playing with Girona FC.
An all-around midfielder, he is known for precision passes and ball control skills.
Contents |
[edit] Club career
Gerard began his career in the FC Barcelona youth system and, in 1996–97, made his professional debut with its its B team. As a 17-year old he was signed by Valencia CF, making his first division debuts on August 31, 1997, aged 18, being loaned to Deportivo Alavés, which had returned to the top flight after a four-decade absence.
After a breakout season with the Basque side, scoring seven goals, Gerard returned to Valencia, helping the Che reach the 2000 Champions League final. During this time he came to be regarded as one of the top players in Spain and, after receiving interest from several top clubs in Europe, including Inter Milan, A.C. Milan and Manchester United, Gerard decided to join his former club Barcelona, in a deal worth £15million.
Gerard would go on to appear regularly for the Catalan side during his five-year second spell, although never an undisputed starter; injuries also began to curtail his career.[1][2][3] After leaving Barça with the 2004–05 national title, he moved abroad, playing two unassuming seasons with France's AS Monaco FC[4](also being severely injured[5]), returning to Spain in 2007–08, joining Recreativo de Huelva.
After rejecting some moves, notably to PAOK FC, Gerard trained for a few months with lowly EC Granollers, in Preferent Territorial de Catalunya.[6] In mid-February 2009, he moved back to Catalonia, joining Girona FC until the end of the second division campaign.[7] Shortly after arriving, he got injured again.
[edit] International career
After a spectacular 1999–00 season with Valencia, in both fronts, Gerard received his first cap for Spain, on June 3, 2000, in a 1-1 friendly with Sweden, in Gothenburg. He went on to play in a further five internationals, being selected for UEFA Euro 2000.
[edit] Honours
- Spanish League: 2004–05
- Spanish Cup: 1996–97
- Spanish Supercup: 1999
- UEFA Champions League: Runner-up 1999–2000
[edit] Personal
Gerard's older brothers, Sergi López Segú and Julià López Segú (aka Juli, born 1969), were also footballers, and defenders. The former, who represented Barcelona, RCD Mallorca and Real Zaragoza between 1987–95, committed suicide at 39.[8]
The latter played almost exclusively for Barça B whilst it was in the second division, also having a brief first division spell (13 matches) with Real Valladolid, in 1993–94.[9][10]
[edit] References
- ^ Season over for Gerard
- ^ Gerard thwarted by injury
- ^ Gerard goes under the knife
- ^ Monaco make double swoop
- ^ Gerard ruled out for six months
- ^ Gerard trains with Granollers (Spanish)
- ^ Gerard López to play with Girona FC (Catalan)
- ^ Sergi López, ex-footballer and brother of Gerard, dies, run over by train (Spanish)
- ^ Juli at BDFutbol
- ^ Barça brothers; FC Barcelona's website
[edit] External links
- BDFutbol profile
- National team data (Spanish)
- L'Équipe stats (French)
- Gerard López French league stats at lfp.fr (French)
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